Bible Art Journaling for Beginners: 7 Steps to Getting Started

Are you ready to start combining your faith and your creative side and embrace art journaling in your Bible? Earlier this week I told you my story about how I got started Bible art journaling. There are so many methods (stamping, drawing, painting, mixed-media, etc.) that make up this few new form of worship, and we’ll cover many of them in my upcoming webinar with FaithGateway – Bible Art Journaling for Beginners (I can’t wait!).

If you’re totally new to this creative space, don’t allow yourself to be intimidated. This is a personal expression – how you interact with God’s Word. It does not have to be perfect. There is no wrong way. I encourage you to focus on the reason behind why you are art journaling in your Bible, not on the process.

Here are a few of my favorite tips for people who are new to Bible Art Journaling:

1. Use your personal Bible or select a new journaling Bible that has extra wide margins. I contributed many of the illustrations to the new Beautiful Word Bible and just love the lightly lined spaces where I can create more art or simply trace over the illustration on the next or previous page, adding my own thoughts or word art.
2. Start your quiet time by turning on your favorite Christian music or sitting where you can take time to slow down and reflect on what passages God is placing on your heart. Begin with prayer or devotions. Review your latest sermon notes or Bible study reflections. Look up favorite verses.
3. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on supplies right away. Begin with crayons or colored pencils and highlighters, then feel free to add other supplies (like my new line of Illustrated Faith resources from Dayspring), creating in the margins or coloring into the passage. Some people like to color code passages as they relate to parenting or marriage or heaven or other topics found in Scripture. Again, there is no wrong way to do this – just always tie it back to the word.
4. Get messy! When you get more comfortable, try adding stamps, different types of pens, scrapbooking stickers and words, even watercolor paints! Don’t worry about bleed-through. I always test supplies in the last few pages of my Bibles to see how they will interact with the Bible paper. It’s a good practice area too.
5. Think about dating your entries, as this worship expression is good to return to days and years later, to recall God’s leading in your life. Check out this date stamp (it’s my personal favorite).
6. Consider having a Bible where your highlighted passages will become a special memory and inspiration as an heirloom to be passed down to your children and their children someday. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. — Deuteronomy 6:4-8.
7. No matter what, remember that this is your personal form of worship

Forget the rules! Connect with God in the way that is most natural to you! Don’t feel like you have to copy and imitate someone else’s style. This is your space to explore God’s word, learn Scripture, and reignite your faith in a new way!

Keep this book of the law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night. — Joshua 1:8

Ready to Try It?

Don’t forget to sign up for my webinar with FaithGateway on March 15. We’re going to have so much fun talking about this together! You don’t need any supplies in advance of the webinar, but if you can’t wait to get started, the first thing you’ll want is a Bible with room in the margins for journaling, like the new Beautiful Word Bible. For more inspiration follow the Illustrated Faith Community on social media by looking up hashtag #illustratedfaith.

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Your Turn

It’s National Craft Month! What a perfect time for the reminder that you can combine your creativity and your faith! Has this inspired you to try something new with your Bible study and Scripture reading time? Share your comments today on our blog ~ Faith.Full